Happy Retirement Planning

In today’s world where the question often turns to when you’ll financially be ready to retire, it’s easy to overlook the fact that financial security, while important, does not guarantee your retired days will be carefree and happy. Preparing for a truly enjoyable retirement has to go beyond the number in your bank account at the end of the day. So what other factors are there and what do you need to be paying attention to? Here are some things to consider as you start to contemplate that big R on the horizon.

Preparation

Financially, physically, psychologically. If you’re willing to spend time preparing in all three of these areas, it will pay dividends for your entire retirement. According to the Ornish Institute on reversing heart disease actively engaging in retirement planning before you actually retire has been shown to positively relate to retirees’ psychological well-being. In other words, the more prepared you are for it, the more you’ll enjoy the whole thing!

Keep Those Relationships Going Strong

Look, we’ve all seen Grumpy Old Men. No one wants to be that crotchety older person who has pushed everyone away and now is all alone. Nurturing satisfying relationships between friends and family will help keep you healthier longer. Challenge your grandson to a running goal that you work toward together, promise your daughter you’ll clock a certain number of miles in a month. There are so many ways in which close relationships are so beneficial. It’s been found that people in satisfying marriages, with close interpersonal relationships with others have fewer illnesses, higher levels of health overall, and achieve better psychological well-being, all of which will be so important as you head into retirement. Not to mention, all these things are also key factors to heart health.

Stay Active

Just like you’ve committed to your financial well-being for retirement, as well as your psychological well-being, you have to commit to your physical well-being, too. It’s not enough to wait until you have all the “free time” of retirement to cook and exercise the way you know you should. Those are habits you have to start early and stick to voraciously. Keep up with a cardio and strength regimen that makes sense for you, and consult with your doctors before starting a new physical fitness program, but make incorporating physical activity into your daily life a priority. When those adventurous opportunities pop up in retirement, you’ll be glad you committed to it long ago.

Don’t Let Your Spirit Be Dictated By Your Age

Being “retirement age” doesn’t have to be a death knell. Research has shown that adults who think of aging as a positive experience tend to function at a higher level. They are more likely to care for themselves holistically – eat well, exercise, and avoid falling into the clutches of vice. As long as you can live by the philosophy that “age ain’t nothin’ but a number,” you’ll be doing just fine when retirement rolls around.

Retirement has the potential to be one of the best times of your life. You worked hard for many, many years, shouldn’t you be able to sow what you planted without worrying about your health – physical or emotional? Take these steps to prepare for your future holistically and get ready for a retirement filled with years of great memories, new adventures, and a whole lot of fun.